Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
“I don’t want to push you away. I want you to be happy.”
She reaches up, putting her hands on each side of my neck. “And what if you make me happy? What if being here with you makes me happy? Being with your boys, seeing their excited faces when I come home, spending time with them, makes me happy?”
I put my hands at her waist and let them slide around her, palming her ass and pulling her flush against my body. Her chin rests on my chest, and she looks up at me. “Do I make you happy, Gia?”
She laughs. “Yeah, when you’re not being a dense ass.”
I nod. “I deserve that. I’m sorry, Gia. I thought I was doing the right thing by you.”
“The right thing is asking me to stay here with you for the summer.”
My fingers dig into her ass. “Just the summer?”
“For starters, yes. We’ll see if you want to keep me after that.”
“I’m thinking forever won’t be long enough, Gia.”
She goes to her tiptoes and presses her lips to mine. “Forever sounds pretty good.”
I groan as she leans into me. “I’m sorry for hurting you, Gia.”
She pulls at the hem of my shirt. “That’s okay. I’m sure you can find a way to make it up to me.”
I stall her hands and pull out of her arms. “In my bed. I’ll make it up to you in my bed. And that’s where you’re going to stay from now on.”
“But the boys…” she starts, and I kiss her silent.
“The boys will be fine. We’ll talk to them. Don’t worry about anything. We’ll take it a day at a time.”
“Okay.”
I laugh as we walk up the stairs. “Okay? I expected more of a fight.”
She crowds against me and whispers, “I missed you, Dalton and we’re about to have make-up sex. I’m not going to argue with you right now.”
I chuckle, and when we get to the top of the stairs, I scoop her up in my arms. “Make-up sex? Sounds good to me.”
She laughs the rest of the way to my bedroom, and I love it when her laugh turns to moans. I’ll be happy if I spend the rest of my life listening to her.
EPILOGUE
DALTON
Three Months Later
“All right boys, lunches are packed, all the papers your dad filled out are in your backpacks. I can’t believe you’re starting first grade today.”
“Are you going to cry again?” Ethan asks.
“Yeah, no crying, Gia,” Evan adds.
Gia waves at them. “You’re just growing too fast, that's all. But I want to hear all about your first day when you get home. I’m planning a special dinner, and we’re going to celebrate this big milestone.”
I look at Gia, the woman that has my heart and soul, and when it looks like she’s about to cry again, I tell the boys, “All right, go brush your teeth and put your clothes on.”
The boys both run upstairs. Yesterday they were sad that summer was over, and this morning they’re excited to go back to school and see all their friends. We had a good summer—the best—and I give all the credit to Gia. She has brought so much happiness and laughter to our lives. She’s continued with her influencer job and went to three more conferences over the summer. One I attended with her, and I can see why she enjoys it so much. The boys attended camp, but more days than not they spent at home with Gia doing fun things together.
I pull her against me, surprised by how emotional she is. “Are you going to be okay?”
She nods her head, but before she can say anything, her eyes widen and she covers her mouth with her hands, jerks out of my arms, and takes off running down the hall to the bathroom.
I follow behind her, calling her name, and I find her upside down in the toilet. As soon as she’s done, she stands up on unsteady legs, and I put my hands at her waist to steady her. She leans against the sink and puts toothpaste on her toothbrush, the whole time avoiding my eyes in the mirror.
Gia has spent every night in my bed, but she’s kept all her things in the bedroom downstairs. She doesn’t think the boys are ready for the next step, and she doesn’t want to pressure them.
I finally catch her eye in the mirror. “You got something you want to tell me?”
She looks like she might cry again, and she finishes brushing her teeth and then turns to look at me. “I’m pregnant.”
I smile and pull her into my arms, holding on to her tightly. “I knew it.”
She smacks me on the chest and leans back to look up at me. “What do you mean you knew it?”
“Your body—”
She cuts me off. “Wait, my body—”